Bucks plan vs. Gasol not quite working
One of the ongoing Bulls-Bucks storylines is how Milwaukee has focused its defense on stopping Pau Gasol ever since the veteran center scored a career-high 46 points in a Jan. 10 game at the United Center.
Since then, Gasol has averaged 12.5 over the next four games against the Bucks. In this playoff series, he is down to 10.5 points per game and 31 percent shooting (9-for-29).
Is that bad? Well, the Bulls have won both games in the series while averaging 28 assists. During the regular season, they averaged 21.7 assists.
It shows the Bulls have a variety of scorers and also that Gasol is willing to move the ball when necessary.
"That's winning basketball," coach Tom Thibodeau said Tuesday at the Advocate Center. "Sometimes an inexperienced guy would try to take on the double team and take tough shots to get their points.
"When the second defender comes, he's going to hit the open man. Hopefully we have good ball movement and rhythm and we can make some shots."
Gasol has been a reliable rebounder, averaging 14.5 boards in the first two games.
"Any guy can go off," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said after Game 2. "For us, it's to make it hard for everybody. Gasol, (Derrick) Rose, (Mike) Dunleavy - it doesn't matter who it is. (Jimmy) Butler got going there; we just couldn't slow him down."
Thibs hypes referees:
After Game 2 featured 7 technical fouls and a couple of skirmishes, coach Tom Thibodeau was asked if he felt those incidents were called correctly. He responded with a plug for NBA referees.
"It's a tough game to officiate. We have the best officials in the world," Thibodeau said. "I can say that based on I also have international experience now (from Team USA).
"Often times you replay plays four or five times and you're still not sure. These guys have to do it on the spot.
"They've done a good job. Playoffs are physical. A lot of it's judgment."
Taj Gibson had a rough night with the whistle. He played 11 minutes and didn't score after getting 3 early fouls. He did block 3 shots.
"He can't get lost," Thibodeau said of Gibson. "If a call goes against him, don't let that distract you. Just play. When he does that, he's invaluable to us. We need his defense; we need his rebounding."
Bull horns:
Coach Tom Thibodeau said Kirk Hinrich was doing better Tuesday and there's a chance he could be available for Thursday's Game 3. Hinrich has missed four games with a hyperextended left knee and has yet to play in this playoff series.
The Bulls set a franchise playoff record in Game 2 by grabbing 64 rebounds. The previous mark of 63 was set March 28, 1968, against the Lakers. Flynn Robinson led the Bulls with 41 points that night, while Jerry West and Elgin Baylor combined for 61 in the Bulls' 104-98 victory, their only win of the series.